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Weed Myths Go Up in Smoke

Date Published:

October 6th, 2017

Marijuana isn’t new, by any means—heck, Queen Victoria used to smoke the stuff to deal with her menstrual cramps! However, legal and mainstream marijuana culture is very new here in the United States, and with a new legal and polarizing substance comes hearsay, rumors, and straight-up myths. If you’re looking to responsibly consume cannabis and enjoy yourself while doing it, you need to see through the smoke that is marijuana misinformation and take a fat hit of the truth.

In this blog, we will cover a few of the most common marijuana myths to elevate you to a state of higher knowledge and understanding. With more truth at your disposal, you’ll be able to have a cannabis experience that’s safe and fun for everyone.

Myth 1: Weed is weed.

We all know the one guy who thinks all weed smokes the same, tastes the same, and has the same effects on the body. FALSE. Marijuana comes in numerous sativa, indica, and hybrid strains that affect the brain and body in different ways—and the terpenes in these strains make the experiences, effects, and benefits even more unique.

You can always read our previous blog for an in-depth guide to the differences, but here’s a basic rule of thumb for weed selection:

Sativa: An energizing and uplifting “head high.” These strains are great for those who want to be active during their experience, like if they were going on a hike, going out with friends, or for more experienced smokes, getting chores done around the house.

Indica: A relaxing and sedating “body high” that reduces stress, boosts appetite, and promotes sleep. These strains are great for people who want to kick back, sink into the couch, and watch a movie. Indicas are also great for people who have trouble falling or staying asleep.

Hybrids: Available in a variety of flavor and effect profiles, hybrids are a mix between sativa and indica. These strains are great for inexperienced cannabis users, or for those who aren’t a fan of the “heady” and “racey” sativas or the “put you to sleep” indicas.

Not all weed is created equal—in fact, your choice of strain can dictate how much you enjoy your weed experience. As long as you pick a strain that fits with the activities you have planned, and you smoke responsibly, you’ll have a good time. Check out our line of blunts that are specially formulated for your desired experience!

Looks like this first myth has gone up in smoke.

Myth 2: The munchies aren’t real.

Oh, they’re real. “Just eat dinner before,” they say. “It’s just your imagination,” they say. “They” are wrong. In a study performed on mice, researchers discovered that consuming cannabis products alters the function of the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls sex drive, sleep, and of course, hunger—and because cannabinoids made this part of the brain work harder, the end result was uncontrollable, insatiable hunger.

This isn’t breaking news to anyone who has smoked before—there’s just something about marijuana that makes you want to devour everything in your refrigerator. You don’t need scientific studies to burn through this myth.

Myth 3: You can’t overdose.

This technically isn’t a myth—it would take an unaffordable and unfathomable amount of marijuana to lethally overdose. You would literally have to smoke about 15,000 pounds of marijuana in 15 minutes to die of an overdose. However, that’s not the kind of overdose we’re talking about here. Smoking too much (or way too much) can cause intense paranoia, dizziness, nausea, anxiety, and loss of coordination—the classic signs of what is colloquially called “green fever.” In the infancy of Colorado’s legal marijuana industry (and even still today, really), hundreds of people called 911 across the state to report that they thought they were dying from marijuana—and in many cases, emergency responders showed up at the scene to find nearly catatonic individuals, eating bags of Doritos and scarfing down Double-Stuffed Oreos in the fetal position or sunk into the couch. These folks often told responders they no longer need assistance because, well, they were just too high.

This myth’s a little hazy, but we’ll call it BUSTED anyway.

So how do you avoid green fever in order to enjoy your time-consuming cannabis products? The key is to air on the side of caution. The effects of marijuana take a little while to kick in, even when you’re smoking—so smoke a little and wait a little before you smoke some more. When taking edibles, only eat the recommended amount on the packaging, especially if you’re new to the edibles game. Edibles often take up to two hours to reach their full effect in the body, and for some folks, it takes even longer. If you’re not “feeling it,” wait at least a few hours before you take another dose—otherwise, you could be in for one unpleasant ride.

Myth 4: Weed turns people into criminals.

Any seasoned stoner knows this myth is bogus—after all, how can you be a criminal if all you want to do is eat Taquitos in front of the TV? Recent studies have shown that marijuana “is not predictive of higher crime rates” and might even play a part in lowering violent crime rates.

Some people would argue that, by possessing and consuming marijuana in a state that doesn’t allow it, you’re a criminal. Those people are right. However, if you’re consuming this legal substance in a legal state, there’s a very good chance you’re probably not committing any crimes—unless you consider eating an entire tub of ice cream to be a crime against your bowels.

That’s it for Part 1 of our series on marijuana myths. Stay tuned for Part 2, and check out our other blogs in the meantime!